Playing cards



H. W.. HOKE PLAYING CARDS Nov. 8, 1932.

Original Filed April 11. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OS? TOAITI l3 20BYWWZINZVENTOR Mm H. W. HOKE PLAYING CARDS Nov. 8, 1932.

Original Filed April 11, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllll I'IILIIIII I lI I I I I l I l I l I l l l Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED s'ra'rlszs WONw. EOKE, NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLAYING CARDS Application filed April 11, 1980, Serial No. 448,283.Renewed August 19, 1982.

This invention relates to playm cards, and has particular reference tocar s of the character used in the playing of competitive games, such asauction and contract bridge.

Heretofore the dealing of a series of predetermined hands has been madepossible, for example, by providing the backs of the cards with suitableindices indicative of the players, designated for convenience as NorthSouth East and West, to whom the cards are to be dealt in the differenthands, so that the combined skill of the partners North-South andEast-lVest may be determined by comparing the respective part- 13nership scores with a par value assigned to the respective hands afteran expert analysis thereof. 1

Peculiar to the above-mentioned prior practice are many inherentdisadvantages, among which the following are of a particularly seriousnature: First, a given deck of cards is limited to a relatively fewpredetermined hands by reason of the fact that the area of each card issufiiciently large to carry or accommodate only a relatively few indices, thus making it necessaryjto provide different printing plates foreach series in the manufacture, with the result that the cost ofmanufacturing is highly expensive if not totally prohibitive from apracticable standpoint; second, the inconvenience of dealing the cardsto the players has been found to not only distract the dealer but toalso result in mental fatigue, due to the effort required inconcentrating upon the task of dealing with the view to nronerlvinterpreting the indices so as to avoid confusion and insure properallotment of the cards to the intended players: third, by reason of thefact that the indices heretofore employed have been such as tocharacterize the backs of the cards, it has been found possible fora-player to mentally note such characteristics'in connection with therespective face values of the cards 1 and thus accurately determine theface values of certain. if not all, cards held by the remaining players.I

The general object of this invention is to overcome the aboveobjections, so that as many predetermined hands may be dealt from agiven deck of cards as there are possible different hands in such deck;so :that cards of the predetermined hands may be easily, ac-

curately and expeditiously allotted to the several players withoutdistracting the dealer or subjecting him to mental fatigue; and, so thatit will be impossible for a player to determine the face value of anycard from an observance of the back thereof.

To the above ends the invention contemplates, for use with a given deckof cards, as many index or selector sheets as there are to bepredetermined hands in such deck, each index sheet being provided withfifty-two or p more apertures simulating arrows pointing ,65 each in oneof four directions and some of which are located, respectively, in oneof two possible positions; the apertures of each index sheet that issuperimposed upon a pack of cards, designed for use in the practicing ofthis invention and having uncolored field areas surrounded by coloredbackground areas, being so related to the colored and uncolored areas ofeach card in dealing position immediately beneath the index sheet thatthrough only one aperture, namely, the one indicative of the player towhom the card next to be dealt is allotted, will a colored area appear,the cards together'with the respective index sheets being held within asuitable dealing device to facilitate dealing and to insure accurateregistration of such index sheet with each card next to be dealt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthefol- 35 lowingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a templet employed inevolving a design for a master card to be used in photographicallyproducing a standard set of printing plates for printing the designs onthe backs of the fifty-two cards of a deck; Figure 2 is a face view of amaster card having apartially completed design thereon; Figure 3 is asimilar view of the master card with the design completed and ready forexposure in the making of printing plates to be used in the printing ofthe designs on the backs of the playing cards; Figure 4 is an enlargedfragmental face view ing the mask of Figure 4A superimposed I.

over the station corresponding to the deuce of spades; Figure 4C is aview similar to that of Figure 4-B and showing the mask inked inpreparatory to exposure; Figure is a all back view of a card showing thedesign pro- "duced thereon from a plate resulting from the exposure ofthe master card of Figure 3 in conjunction with the masks of Figure 4 C;Figure 6 is a face view of an index sheet adapted to be used in thedealing of a predetermined hand so that the cards intended for theseveral players may be properly allotted; Figure 7 is a view of theobverse side of the index sheet of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a plan view ofa dealing device adapted to receive an index sheet and adeck of cards,'and to'be used in dealing the cards to the players according to theeffective indices of such index sheet; Figure 9 is a view in elevationof the dealing device as seen from the right in Figure'8; Figure is acentral longitudinal sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Figure 8; andFigure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 11-11' of Figure8.

In producing the designs for the backs of the fifty-two cards of apackto be employed in the practicing of this invention, it is necessary toprovide a like number of printing plates, inasmuch as the designs differfrom each other, although the differences'are so slight and are socharacterized by the general designs of the cards as to preclude thepossibility of detection, except after tedious study, necessitating, forexample, accurate linear measurements of certain portions of the designsand careful comparisons of the measurements noted.

The fifty-two printing plates are photographically produced, on areduced scale,

from a single master card in conjunction with'masks to be hereinaftermore particularly described, the master card being preferably severaltimes larger than the respective cards of the deck. The design of thismaster card is produced with the aid of a ginal zone for the reasonshereinafter stated and the remaining openings being positionedrelatively to each other, as ones best judgment may dictate, in view ofthe relation of card identification numbers to card values aca cordingto a suitable station schedule, such as follows:

- Station schedule cud denominations Spades Hearts Diamond: Clubs Thefirst step in producing the master card is carried out by placing thetemplet 16 upon the card in exact registration therewith, whereupon,with a suitable instrument such asa pencil, a circle is described on thecard at one end thereof through each of the openings of the templet.Having completed the describing of this series of circles, the templetis turned end-to-end on themaster card, whereupon a second series ofcircles is-described with the'aid of the templet while it is in exactregistration with the master card, the second group of circles being aduplication of the first set, with the result that thus far the designon the card at one side of the transverse medial line thereof is aduplicate of the design thereon at the opposite side of such line.

In proceed ng further with the evolution of the intended design of themaster card, one or more, as desired, of the circles described with theaid of the templet are enclosed within definite field-areas by drawinglines around the selected circles, as shown in Figure 2. In thisconnection, it may be remarked that While it is intended that the suchline, thus introducing a further safeguard against detection of cardvalues by observing the backs of the cards, inasmuch as such slightdiscrepancy in design tends to cast an element of doubt in the mind ofan observer with respect to the accuracy of any observation that he mayattempt to make.

Proceeding further with the evolution of the design of the master card,all background areas enclosed within the border line 17 of the card areinked in, whereupon the circles within the field-areas are erased, thusproducing the finished master card, shown in Figure 3, ready forsuccemive exposures in connection with certain masks, hereinafter moreparticularly described, as-steps in the production of the necessaryfifty-two rinting plates to be employed in printing t e re-- spectivedesigns on the cards of the deck.

Before exposing the master card in the process of producin printingplates to be used in printing the fty-two cards of a deck, the abovestation schedule, wherein are assigned certain identification numbers tothe respective cards, is taken into consideration. From this schedule,it will be noted that numbers ranging from one to seventy-six areassigned to the fifty-two cards of a playing deck and that in each suit,cards of the order of the two spot to the eight spot, inclusive, areassigned a single identification number and that the remaining cards ofthe several suits are each assigned two identification numbers,thereason for assignment of single numbers to cards of the lowerdenominations and for the assignment of two numbers to cards of thehigher denominations being hereinafter more particularly explained.

With the above schedule in mind, let it be assumed that the firstexposure of the master card 15 is with the view to producing theprinting plate for the back of the card, the suit of which is spade andthe denomination of which is the deuce. Since the identification numberof the deuce of spades is one, the station on the master card corresonding to opening number one of the temp et 16 is determined by placingthe templet on the master card and describing a circle through suchopening upon the field-area of the master card while the templet is inexact registration with that card, whereupon the templet is turnedend-for-end and the same procedure is carried out to determine a similarstation on the other side of the transverse medial line of the mastercard by describing thereon a corresponding circle. The circlesindicating these stations are shown within the field-areas A of Figure3.

Each of the stations thus established is then covered with a mask, suchas is shown in Figure 4A, which overl es the field-areas that aregrouped about the station-enclosing areas A and are indicated in thecase of one of such stations bythe reference characters B, C, D, E, F,and G, the outline of such group of field-areas beneath the mask ofFigure 4B being indicated respectively by dotted lines therein. Thesemasks are of a suitable material, such as paper, and are uncolored, asin the case of the enclosed fieldareas of Figure 3, except for a coloredarea or location 18 on each, which is the same size as the respectivestations over which these masks are to be placed. In placing the masksover the stations, care is to be exercised in establishing exactregistration of their colored areas or locations with such stations toinsure proper functioning of the master cards in producin the desiredprinting plate. With the masks t us positioned, lines 19, as shown inFigure 4-B',' are so drawn thereon as to meet and blend with the contourof the underlying field-areas B, C, D, E, F and G at the edges of themasks and at the same time, in effect, elongate or otherwise modify thecontour of such areas, whereupon the area intermediate the colored area18.and the lines 19 of each mask is blackened, .as shown in Figure 4-C.Thus it will be appreciated that when photographing the master card 15,with the masks thereon and modified as in Figure 4C, the samephotographic efiect is obtained as though the field-areas grouped aboutthe selected stations were modified, as

explained, and the spaces intermediate such stations and such areas wereblackened. As a result of photographing the master card 15, togetherwith the masks thereon as described, a printing late may be obtainedwhich will produce the design shown on the back of the card in Figure 5,viz., the design for the deuce of spades.

The printing plates for the remaining cards of the spade suit up to andincluding the eight of spades and the cards of the heart,

-in producing a printing plate to be used in printing the design on theback of a card of a denomination higher than the eight spot, for examplethe nine of spades, to which is assigned identification numbers 29 and30, the templet 16 is employed in connection with the master card aspreviously described to determine the location of stations 29 and 30 atboth sides of the transverse medial'line. Inasmuch as two stations areestablished in connection with this card at each side of the transversemedial line of the master card, two pairs of masks are employed inmaking the exposure incident to the-production of the necessary printingplate. The procedure with these masks is the same as that described inconnection with the two masks employed in connection with the exposureincident to the production of the printing plate to be used in producingthe design on the back of the deuce of spades. With a printing plateresulting from an exposure of the master card 15 in conjunction with thetwo pairs of -masks thus employed, the design peculiar to the nine ofspades may be produced, wherein there will exist two blackened areas ateach side of the transverse medial line thereof corresponding to thestations 29 and 30 which were determined by aid .of the templet 16 priorto aflixing the masks to the master card 15 and rior to modifyin suchmasks so as to, in efi ect, modify the fie d-areas surroundin suchstations. W

rom the above, it will be understood that the procedure incident to theroducton of printing plates to be emplo e in print ng the designs on thebackso the remaining cards of the spade suit, namely, ten 5 t to ace,inclusive, and the cards in the, or er of the nine spot to and includingthe ace of the heart, diamond and club suits is the same as thatdescribed in connection with the plate to be used in printin the designon the back of the nine of spa es. v

It is to be noted that of the one hundred and four openings in thetempletonly seventy-six are employed in determining stations, thusleaving openings Nos. 77 to 104 to serve a useful purpose in connectionwith the index sheets, to be hereinafter more particularly described.Moreover, it will be understood from the above station schedule,

when considered inconnection with the temple t l6-and the manner inwhich it is em-- ployed to determine the .stations for the respectivecards, that no two cards'of a playing deck will be duplicated in so faras locations of stations are. concerned, and that, therefore, an indexsheet may be employed to indicate during a'deal to which of the playersthe respective cards are to alotted. The indices of each sheet thusemplo ed are prearranged with regard to the statlons of the respectivecards andare so dis osed with respect to direction that they wilfunction, in cooperation with the several stations, to individuallyindicate the player to whom each card of the deck,over which the indexsheet is held, is to be allotted.

In Figures 6 and 7, is shown an index sheet 20 which is of the characterhereinbefore mentioned and is preferably made of celluloid. This indexsheet is of the same size as the cards employed in the practicing ofthis invention and is adapted to be introduced, together with a pack ofsuch cards, into a dealing device, hereinafter more particularlydescribed, where it is held against displacement on the top of such packof cards as they are dealt one-by-one. In order to facilitate dealing ofthe cards, the index sheet is provided at one end with an oval shapedopening 21, through which the dealers thumb may engage the successivecards as they present themselves in dealin position beneath the indexsheet with their faces down.

For each deal, one index sheet is employed to make possible the dealingof pre-sele'cted M hands according to the intended allotment of 6a theseveral cards the respective players,

strumentality, such as a multiple punch and die not shown, and are solocated with respect to the stations on the respective cards used inpracticing this invention that a dark or back-ground area of each cardwill be visible through only one of the arrows. Moreover, these arrowsare so directionally disposed that theywill indicate to which of thelayers, North, East, South and est, the respective cards are to bedealt, the effective arrow in each instance being the one through whichap ears the darkened or background area of t e card about to be dealt.

The grouping of the arrows and the respective directionalfidispositionof the same, s own in Figure 6, is representative of card distributionaccording to the followin effective arrow schedule, wherein are emlpoyed identification numbers according to t e sta- In reading orinterpreting the arrows as they become effective one by one during thedealing operation, .it is to be taken into account that such,arrows 'aspoint down, to the left up, and to the right, reference being had toFigure 6, are res ectively indicative of players designated, orconvenience, as South, West, North and East.

Referring to the index sheet of Figure 6, it will be noted thatsixty-one arrows are employed. Of these arrows only fifty-two areeffective with regard to stations, there being one effective arrow foreach card to be dealt. The remainin nine arrows are located more or lessat ran om about the two side borders and the upper end border of theindex sheet, their locations being in correspondence with o nings 77,e0,e4,es,94,97,9s,100 and 103 o the templet 16. The directionaldispositionof these infiective arrows is without consequence, in so faras card allotment is concerned inasmuch as no one of them will at anytime register with a darkened or background area of the cards as theyare dealt, and hence they ma point 'allin one direction or in another,alt ough' it is referred that they vary in this respect. e're it may bewell to remark that the reason these arrows never function to indicatethe direction of a deal is because they lie in a zone outside of, theoutermost dotted line, shown on the templet 16 in Figure 1, which zonecontains only openings numbered 77 to 104, inclusive, no one of whichnumbers is assi ed to a I card, as is obvious from an inspection of thethe effective arrows of the index sheet. In

this connection, it may be pointed out that while the ineffective arrowsfunction to stimulate uncertainty in such an attempt at identification,the element of doubt is further intensified by reason of the fact thatthe directional disposition of the outermost arrows of the effectivegroup changes with the different index sheets, with the resultthat theirlocations appear to shift with each successive deal, thus subjecting anobserver to what, for certain intents and purposes, are everchanginglocations of the arrows.

While it is believed that the above described provisions will suflice inestablishing an element of doubt, regarding attempts to identify cardsby observing positions and relative positions of the effective arrows ofthe index sheet, an additional precaution is taken in this connection byassigning only cards of relatively low denominations, namely, the twospot to the eight "spot, inclusive, of the several suits, to theoutermost portion of the effective-station area, reference being had inthis connection to the above station schedule in connection with thearea or zone lying intermediate the two dotted lines appearing on thetemplet 16 in Figure 1. The theory prompting this assignment of low facevalues is based on the fact that it is reasonable to suppose that adealer would exert but little, if any, effort in an attempt to identifycards of a more or less trivial nature in so far as face values areconcerned, this being especially true in view of the ever presentelement of doubt resulting from the factors promoting uncertainty, asabove described, in the mind of one bent on observation for the purposeof card-value detection. On the other hand, it is reasonable to expectthat a dealer, if inclined at-all to attempt identification, would exerthis efforts in this connection with the view to identifying cards had tothe above station schedule in connection with the numbers appearingwithin the innermost dotted line on the templet 16 of Figure 1, whichwill establish their respective stat ons well within the border of therespectrve cards,.so that the effective arrows denoting the intendedallotment of the cards of higher values will come well within andtowards the center of the index sheet. though it is believed that thisexpedient will suffice to forestall all attempts at identification ofthe cards of the higher denominat1ons, there is employed, nevertheless,a further expedient which serves as a safe ard in this connection andresides in the f dt that cards of the higher denominations, referencebeing had to the above station schedule, are

each assi ned two numbers, from which two stations fbr each of suchcards are developed, it being noted that the arrow for these respectivetwo-station cards may appear on each index sheet at one of two possiblepositions, by reason of the fact that each arrow concerned with thedealing of cards of such higher denominations may appear at one of twopossible positions on each index sheet, and the positions of such arrowsrelative to one another may be different for each index sheet, thusrendering detection, with regard to such denominations, impossible.

Preparatory to punching the effective as well as the ineffective arrowsfor the respective index sheets, a punch set-up schedule is formulated,the following one being by way of example and employed in the productionof the-index sheet of Figure 6.

Punch set-up schedule To condition the die preparatory to punching theindex sheet of Figure 6, a punch is placed in each of the punch socketshearing I a single card identification number according to the abovepunch set-up schedule, one punch being placed in each socketcorresponding to the card identification numbers ranging from the twospot to the eight spot, inclusive, of the several suits. Also, as to ofan honor value and possibly as low as the the respective remainingcards, only one nine spot; but, in so far as cards of such values,namely, the nine spot to and including the ace of the several suits areconcerned, they are assigned numbers, reference being punch is.employed, and this is introduced into either one or the other of itspossible sockets, the one selected being in accordance with theeffective-arrow schedule as will ap- 6 v I a.

ment of the cards during the dealing operation WhlGlI is carried outwith the 811d of such sheet. Concerm'n the set up of the inactivepunches numbers '57, 80, 84, 88, 94, 97 Q9, 100 and 103, whichcorrespond tothe inactlve arrows of the index sheet, the same procedureis 2 carried out as with the active punches so. that the inactive arrowsof \the master sheet will appear thereon as intended both as to theirlocations and their directional dispositions. 1

In Figures 8 to 11, is shown a dealing device 24, hereinbefore referredto, adapted to receive an index sheet, such as the one'indicated by thenumeral 20, and a deck of cards desi ed for use in the practicing ofthis invention. This dealing device 24 is preferabl made of celluloid,and includes a top 25,

si e walls 26 and end walls 27. The top 25 is provided with a window 28through which all of the arrows of the index sheet may be viewed, and isformed with an opening 29, adapted to register with the Jo ening 21 ofthe index sheet. Carried by t e top 25, at the inner face thereof, is abutton 30, which is adapted to cooperate with a notch 31 formed in theindex sheet so as to positively retain the same within the dealin deviceas the cards are ejected one-by-one t rough an elongated opening or slot32 formed in one of the side walls 26 adjacent the to 25, the cardsbeing ejected b the dealers t umb as the dealing device is lield in thepalm of the hand. As to the openin or slot 32, it is to be noted thatits width a ually increases-from a point 'midwa 0 its length towards theends thereof an that its normal widthat'the narrowest part thereof isslightly less than the thickness of a card. Due, however, to

the more or less resilientnature of the ma terial, namely, celluloid,from which the deal ing device is made, the marginal portion 25a of thetop 25 adjacent to or overlyingthe" slot will yield upwardly underslightpressure exerted thereon incident to the dealing operation carriedoutfor each card, thus increasing the width of the slot with the resultthat the card being subjected to a lateral.

dealing thrust at the time the slot is widened is ejected withoutpermitting lateral displacement ofthe immediately underlying card. Thus,it will be appreciated that the cambered portion of the side wall 24immediately r with the marginal portion 25a of the top 25 as acard-restraining means, which becomes ineffective with regard to lateraldisplacement of the u permost card incident to the respective dea ingoperations. Further concerning the slot 32, it has been determined byexperience that a gradual increase in width from a point intermediateits ends towards opposite ends thereof enables the device to effectivelyemployed with cards that may bemore or less distorted. 7 From theconstruction of the dealing device 24, it will be appreciated that theindex sheet may be readily introduced into the same from the open endthereof and locked in position preparatory to the introduction of a deckof cards with their faces down so that the backs of the cards, as theypresent themselves in dealing position, willlie flat against 35 theunderneath side of the index sheet.

From the description of the evolution of the designs for the severalcards of a deck and the description of the method employed for-piaoducing the co-related index sheets,"it will readily understood thatas each card presents itself in dealing position below the index sheet,one and only one of the arrows provided on that sheet will register witha station contained within a colored or back ground area of such, eachcard and that such arrow will indicate, according to its directionaldisposition, to which of theplayers, North, East, South, West, the cardabout to be dealtis to be alloted, the outmay be such indicia as isdeemed expedient and this is likewise true with regard ,to the backof-each index sheet. On the face of the index sheet herein shown,information is imparted to the effect that partners North and South, aswell as East and West, are not vulnerable, and the dealer is indicatedas being the player South. On the back of such sheet, the handicap maybe indicated. 1371 as, for example, 201 at auction bridge and 420 atcontract bridge, both" in favor of players, North and South. It isdesirable tha. this information shall be withheld from the parties atplay until the hand has beenplayed,

and for thls reason the printed matter regarding this information isreversed, so as torender it ille ible except by careful observation, Ifdesire each index sheet-may be provided on its obverse side with aseries number in 1' association with the name of the editor of the handrepresented h each such index sheet, as, for example, Series umber 5 byJohn Doe, and maybe further provided with other in- 7 formation, as forexample the section in that for the back of 1m particular series and thenumber of the hand represented by such index sheet in that section.

While only one form of the invention is herein shown and described, itwill be understood that various modifications may be resorted to, as,for example, with regard to the master card, the index sheets, thedealing device, and the designs for the backs of the respective cards,as well as with regard to the method of producing the master card, theindex sheets, and the several printing plates for the backs of the cardsof a deck, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a deck of imperforate playing cards, each havingits back surface divided into field-areas and background areas, of anindex sheet adapted to be ositioned on said cards and having indicesindicative of card allotment and so related to one of said areas on eachcard that one of said indices is rendered optically active inassociation with such one area to indicate card allotment when the indexsheet is positioned on the card provided with said such one area.

2. The combination with a deck of imperforate playing cards, each havingits back surface divided into field-areas and background areas, of anindex sheet adapted to be positioned on said cards and having indicessimulating arrows and directionally disposed to indicate card allotmentand so related to one of said areas on each card that one of saidindices is rendered optically active in association with such one areato indicate card allotment when the index sheet is positioned on thecard provided with said such one area.

3. The combination with an index sheet having indices simulating arrowsand directionally disposed to indicate card allotment, of a deck ofimperforate playing cards on which such sheet is adapted to be placed,each card having its back surface divided into field-areas andback-ground areas so related to one of said indices that one of saidareas,

namely, a back-ground area is rendered opticall active in associationwith said one of sai indices to indicate card allotment when the indexsheet is positioned on the card provided with said one of said areas.

4. The combination with a deck of playin cards, each having its backsurface divide into field areas and back-ground areas, of a plurality ofindex sheets, any one of which is adapted to be placed on said cards,each index sheet corresponding to different preselected hands and havingindices indicative of card allotment and so related to one of said areason each card that one of said indices is rendered active in associationwith such one area to indicate card allotment when the index sheetprovided with said one of said insaid one of said areas.

5. The combination with a plurality of index sheets correspondingrespectively to different pre-selected hands and each havin indicesindicative of card allotment, of a eck of playing cards on which any oneof such sheets is adapted to be placed, each card having its backsurface divided into field-areas and back-ground areas so related to oneof said indices on each index sheet that one of said areas, namely, abackground area, is rendered active in association with such one of saidindices to indicate card allotment when the index sheet provided withsaid one of said indices is positioned on the card provided with saidone of said areas.

6. The combination with a deck of imperforate playing cards, each cardhaving its back surfaces divided into field-areas and back-ground areas,of an index sheet adapted to be positioned on said cards and havingineffective indices in association with a plurality of effective indicesindicative of card allotment and so related to one of said areas on eachcard that one of said effective indices is rendered optically active inassociation with such one area to indicate card allotment when the indexsheet is positioned on the card provided with said such one area, theineffective indices being positioned in a bordering relation to theeffective indices and serving to forestall index-sheet-identification byobservation.

7. The combination with a deck of playing cards, each card having itsback surface divided into field-areas and back-ground areas of whichareas only one is effective on certain cards at opposite ends thereofand of which areas a plurality are effective on certain other cards atopposite ends thereof, of an index sheet adapted to be positioned onsaid cards and having indices grouped in one of a plurality of possibleorders and indicative of card allotment and so related to one of saideffective areas on each card that one of said indices is rendered activein association with such one area to indicate card allotment when theindex sheet is positioned on the card provided with said such one area.

8. In combination with a. deck of playin cards and an index sheetbothcharacterized according toclaim 1, a dealing device having wallsbetween which such index sheet and such deck of cards are adapted to beheld, one of such walls being provided with a slot through which thecards may be ejected oneby-one as they assume dealing position bencathsuch index sheet, and means for locking said index sheet againstdisplacement during the ejection of the cards.

9. In combination with a deck of playing cards and an index sheet bothcharacterized according to claim 1, a dealin device including a top andhaving walls tween which walls such index sheet and deck of cards areadapted to be held, one of such walls being provided with a slot throughwhich the cards may be ejected one-by-one as they assume dealingposition beneath such index sheet, said top being provided with anopening to facilitate ejection of the cards, and havin a yieldableportion adjacent said slot adapted to function in cooperation with theadjacent Wall as restraining means for normally retaining the uppermostcard of the deck against displacement.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

HAMPTON W. HOKE.

